Fade Into You
by nonsensewriter
Summary: After a talk with Stefan, Bonnie decides that there's nothing left for her in Mystic Falls anymore and decides to leave for a fresh start.


It was all in vain.

Jenna, John, Abby, Jeremy, Kol _and_ his entire line, Elena...Elena period.

All of our efforts were for nothing.

Unless Stefan was lying but the look in his eyes...he looks so resigned...almost like he expected this to happen. And if I'm honest, I think I did to. It was too simple. Way too easy to be accomplished. So, how could I be mad at something I knew deep down was in vain?

I have to leave.

"Bonnie?"

I look up to see Stefan frowning at me. Did I say that outloud? If the worried look in his eyes is any indication, I did. Oh well, he was going to find out sooner or later, well once they found themselves in another mess. When they called me and expected me to immediately fly in and fix it. Just like I have been for the last two years.

"I can't stay here." I say when he opens his mouth "If I do, I'm next. Unless somewhere down the line someone replaced me on her roster." I know I'm over estimating my importance, knowing damn well that I've been bumped down at least two spots but besides Matt I'm the only human left in her life...ergo the one that _will_ end up in a grave permanently due to Matt's ring "I'm going to die next. Whether it's at the hand of one of our own," I almost stop when I see him look down, obviously remembering the whole thing with Abby, but I continue not wanting to give him a chance to apologize, I'm done with them, I don't have the energy in me to pretend that I care anymore "the Originals or our next 'big bad'. I'm next, I have to leave."

"Bonnie…"

"Tell me I'm wrong and I'll stay."

I wait, giving him a chance to say something, nodding when he looks down. At least he's being honest.

"Exactly," I breathe "I have to get out while I can. I'll tell Elena and Damon since I know you're not on the best of terms right now. Then I'll tell Caroline and Tyler, maybe convince Matt to come with me."

"Where?"

I smile, and if I had a destination in my mind I probably would have told him.

"I can't tell you, there wouldn't really be a point in leaving if you knew where to find me. But," I say when I see the look in his eyes "if it's ever that serious, tell Caroline or Matt if he decides to stay and I might be willing to hear you out. But I make no promises."

"What if I come with you?"

At that question I can only blink. It's like his question was a shock to my system. My heart starts to race and I have no idea why. Because I know that this wouldn't be one of those situations where a couple runs away together but for some reason my body doesn't seem to be getting that. For what seems like hours but I know is really only seconds, I stare at him and he stares back at me neither of us blinking.

"There's nothing here for me anymore." He says finally breaking the silence.

"If I believed that, I would take you up on your offer, but I don't. You have your brother, you have Elena, you have Caroline and whether you like it or not you have Klaus and Rebekah. I have nothing except a guaranteed death in the form of what is the epitome of unreturned loyalty."

"And you think I don't?" He screams as he gets up from my bed, looking at me as if I offended him, and I'm honestly lost for a minute before I remember how both his brother and now ex girlfriend...the supposed love of his life betrayed him. And I wonder how that slipped my mind. But then I realize that somewhere down the line he must have convinced himself that their relationship would never happen. And somewhere down the line I had resigned to the inevitable. But I manage to pull an answer right out of my ass.

"No," I reply meeting his gaze head on, holding it as I start to explain myself because I can see that he doesn't believe me "because if it ever came down to you or her he would do everything in his power to keep it from happening. Even if it meant giving his life in the process. He doesn't hate you, Stefan. Issues? Yes. True hatred? No. I know it doesn't seem that way right now because of what's going on but this is just him being happy that he finally got the girl. After finding out that the woman he loved never wanted him, that that love was one sided...even you have to admit that had to be a blow. And to top it all off, you not feeling the same way towards Katherine just made it worse for him. Enter Elena. I'm not saying he doesn't really love her because he does, there's no doubt about that. But even you have to know that it started off as him wanting to get back at you, and somewhere down the line it just happened. But what's going on right now is just a repeat of history. And I don't mean what happened between you, him and Katherine."

I sigh when he frowns, and I wonder if I'm the only one that did their research on the Originals, but I digress.

"You and Damon. Klaus and Elijah. Two brothers that fall for the same girl. The brothers didn't die and neither did their relationship. Damaged? Yes. Destroyed? No. I'm not saying Tatia is anything is anything like Elena but she got caught up between two brothers. Tatia made her choice and she ended up paying for it. The only difference to the bases of this history is the how and that Elena has a group of people that have gone all out to prevent her death and it _still_ ended up happening. Which brings me to this." I decide to abandon the topic because I see that I might be doing more harm than good "I've done more than my part. So I'm checking out. With you, Damon, Caroline and the reluctant help of the Originals, she doesn't need me."

"Bonnie…"

"I've watched both Elena and Caroline live their lives throughout this madness while I've gotten nothing. It's time that I got a life. Have friends that actually treat me like a friend. Find a nice guy that won't cheat on me with a ghost." I laugh bitterly, purposely not meeting Stefan's gaze, not sure what possessed me to say that "Possibly run into a Bennett. The possibilities are endless. Me staying here is only going to end with me being six feet under with no family of my own."

"Bonnie you have friends."

At that I want to laugh, and it's not just because of that statement. We both know that's the only topic he thinks he can touch without digging himself in a hole he can't get out of. And it's the only one he thinks he can use to convince me to stay.

"I thought so too." I give him a small smile hoping to soften the blow of my words "But can I really consider people that only call me when it has something to do with a spell or who would gladly end my life it meant saving someone else's or only call me to let me know which brother has the lead this week, my friends? The answer is no. So I'm done. If there's some part of you...deep down inside that considers me your friend, you'll let me leave. You'll let me go and find my happiness because it's not here Stefan. Not anymore. I'm not sure if it ever was." I add under my breath as I look down.

When I look up I see that my window is open and Stefan is no longer in my room and I take that as my answer. A small part of me wants to go after him but I push it down. Elena may be with Damon right now, but she and Stefan have always found their way back to each other. And with Stefan's forgiving nature and full on weakness for her, it's only a matter of time before they get back together. And if not...it's not like he'll have a problem finding someone new.

Thirty minutes later I'm walking out of my home with a suitcase, a bag full of my family's grimoires, along with my own, a box containing my stash along with the money that was left to me from my Grams and a bag full of toiletries and basic items. After lugging them into the trunk of my car I make my way to the driver's side. But I pause, my eyes locked on my home, wondering if this is the smartest thing to do. A teenage girl running away from home with no place to go pretty much screams disaster but my words to Stefan ring in my ears, and I take one final look before I slide behind the wheel and start to make a few pit stops to visit my friends...and Damon before I leave.

Caroline cries, but after an hour finally lets me go but only after making me promise to check in with her to let her know I'm okay even if it's just a text, but guilts me into promising to call her when I've found my new home and to let her visit when I'm ready.

Matt tells me that he can't leave and inwardly I roll my eyes but tell him that I understand, and because I anticipated this I leave him a parting gift, a new ring that both protects him from death and prevents him from being compelled. Only leaving when he promises me that he won't take it off. After that, the look in his eyes tells me that he figures that I'm serious, I guess he thought I was kidding but I don't blame him, we talked about running away so many times that I probably wouldn't have believed me either.

My next and final stop is at the Boarding House. This...this right here is the place that I'm really serious about never returning to...no matter what. So I stroll inside for what I'm telling myself is the last time and roll my eyes when I see Damon and Elena making out on the couch. I don't know why I expected anything else. Not wanting to hear Damon's mouth about interrupting I start to turn away but I hear Elena call my name so I turn back around. When I tell her that I'm only here to say goodbye her eyes water. And she walks right up to me starting to tell me how she doesn't want me to leave. That she needs me to stay. She can't handle losing me. I'm tempted to ask her when was the last time we actually acted like the best friends that she seems to still think we are but I stop, it's bad enough that I'm leaving, there's no need to rub salt in her apparent wound. When she looks at me with those doe eyes I'm almost tempted to stay until I hear Damon stifling a chuckle, obviously sensing my wavering in my decision and I give Elena an apologetic look, pulling her into a hug, before I step away. Telling her that I love her but I can't stay anymore. She opens her mouth to try to pull me back in but I don't give her the chance. I know I'm being rude but my loyalty to her will get me killed if I stay so I force myself to leave. My descion officially solidifying when I hear Damon say that he'll see me tomorrow.

Stefan has apparently gone ghost because he's nowhere to be found, so I guess our talk from earlier was our goodbye.

After leaving the boarding house I make a stop at a gas station before I make my way to the interstate. A smile pulling at the corner of my lips when I pass the sign signaling the exit of Mystic Falls. I thought I'd feel some sort of sadness from leaving but instead I feel relief. It hasn't even been five minutes and I feel like the weight of the world isn't on my shoulders. The only problem I have now is that I don't know what to do with myself.

Myself.

That word...this whole concept feels foreign to me which sends a twinge through me but a smile quickly replaces it until I hear my phone chime. Looking down I see it's Damon, something about a note and I simply roll my eyes, not bothering to read the whole text. I briefly consider tossing it before deciding against it. Instead I turn it off and toss it in the backseat. My foot slamming on the brakes when I look back to the road and see someone standing a couple of feet in front of my car. My heart pounding until I see a pair of intense green eyes staring back at me and anger washes over me when I see the amused look on his face until he hikes up the strap of the bag over his shoulder before making his way to passenger side, tapping his knuckles on the window when he tries to open the door.

Going against my better judgement I unlock the door and pull over to the side of the road and shift to face him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I frown when Stefan simply stares back at me.

"You're not the only one that wants a life. And I'm less likely to go on a binge if I'm not alone."

"Are you trying to-"

"Ultimatums aren't really my thing." He looks away when I give him a look, making it clear that I don't believe that he didn't issue at least one to Elena when she was torn between him and Damon.

"Actually I was going to say guilt me into taking you with me but I wouldn't have believed your denial anyway." I state, raising an eyebrow when he opens his mouth.

"No different than what you did earlier." He points out.

I twist my lips at his reply, he had me there.

"What about the cure?"

"What about it?"

"It's for Elena. If she takes it she'll go back to you."

"If Elena's feelings for me were stronger than her feelings for him, she would've stayed with me."

"The sire bond-"

"Only made the inevitable happen sooner." He cuts me off.

"Stefan…" I trail off, stopping myself when I start to tell him that running off won't solve his problems, realizing that he could say the same about me. So without another word I turn away from him and start the car.

"Bonnie."

"Where do you want me to drop you off?" I ask, since I'm still not sure of where I want to go."

Stefan shrugs.

"I don't think I'm coming back." I say in a quiet voice, not sure if I really mean them.

"Good," he nods "I didn't plan on coming back either. I told you, there's nothing here for me anymore." He says when I look at him.

Not sure what to say I turn away and pull back onto the road, a soft sigh passing my lips when "Take Care" starts to blast through my speakers. This song always hit a little too close to home and being around someone else while listening to it just made me all the more uncomfortable but when I sneak a peek at Stefan only to see him looking back at me with a small smile on his face before turning away, his gaze turning to the window, watching the scenery that we pass by.

At that I frown but start to wonder if we're thinking the same thing only to wave it off, I can't really picture Stefan as the type to listen to this genre of music but then again there isn't much I really know about him. Considering what we're doing I guess that, that is about to change.


End file.
